Boats and other similar watercrafts are typically powered by inboard gasoline combustion engines that are mounted in an isolated engine compartment. The engine compartment serves to isolate the operational noise, and moving components associated with the operation of the inboard engine from the other areas of the boat occupied by passengers.
Prior to discussing the particular problems created by combustion engines, it is believed that a brief review of the basic components of a combustion engine is beneficial to the understanding of the concepts disclosed herein. Typically, combustion engines comprise a starting circuit and an ignition circuit. The ignition circuit typically comprises a voltage boosting coil, spark plugs, and a timing system, such as a distributor. The voltage boosting coil provides a high voltage, which is delivered to the spark plug in a timed manner so as to allow the engine to combust the gasoline provided in each of its cylinders. Thus, the ignition circuit is responsible for providing the necessary energy and timing to ignite the fuel delivered into the cylinders of the engine, so as to generate the continuous operation of the engine, thus allowing the engine to run. The starting circuit typically comprises a starter motor or solenoid that when energized, physically turns the primary mechanical components of the engine, allowing the ignition circuit to take over the combustion process, thus allowing the engine to be initially started. Thus, the starting circuit and the ignition circuit initially coact to start a cold or unstarted engine. However, once the engine is started, the starter circuit may be disabled, while ignition circuit takes over allowing the motor to run continuously.
Due to the nature of combustion engines and the fuel that powers them, volatile fuel vapors emanate from the engine when the boat is not in operation. In addition, the vapors or fumes also generated when the boat engine is idling, or is at low RPM (revolutions per minute). Due to the enclosed environment provided by the engine compartment, these fumes or vapor rapidly accumulate so as to reach a concentration substantial enough to become explosive or to ignite to create a fire. Because of the mechanical and electrical components utilized by the engine, the potential for the development of electrical sparks generated from the starter circuit, which draws high electrical current when operated, is a potential hazard.
In order to increase the safety of boats, many devices have been developed to evacuate the engine compartment of any volatile vapors, while replacing the evacuated fumes with fresh air. However, these devices typically operate by utilizing a timed blower or by disabling the ignition circuit of the engine. However, when the ignition circuit is disabled, the boat is no longer controllable by its operator. As such, the operator of the boat is unable to take any action to avoid another oncoming boat, barrier, or other object.
In addition, to prevent the accumulation of the volatile fumes, many boats utilize an exhaust fan or blower to ventilate the engine compartment. Furthermore, because there is a great potential for disaster, current federal regulations and safety operating guidelines suggest using a ventilation system for at least four minutes prior to starting the engine of the boat. Unfortunately, due to the many responsibilities and distractions encountered by boat operators, many fail to follow these guidelines or operate the exhaust blower to adequately ventilate the engine compartment.
Therefore, there is a need for a boat ignition safety apparatus that provides an initial sequence that occurs prior to an initial cold-start up that disables the ignition and the starter circuit for a predetermined period to time prior to starting the engine. In addition, there is a need for a boat safety ignition safety apparatus disables the starter and/or starter circuit if the amount of fuel vapor exceeds a predetermined level. Additionally, there is a need for an exhaust fan that removes fuel vapors from the engine compartment, for a predetermined period of time prior to starting the engine. Moreover, there is a need for a boat ignition safety apparatus that removes fuel vapors if the concentration of fuel vapor exceeds a predetermined level. Still yet there is a need for a boat ignition safety apparatus that provides an exhaust fan to remove fuel vapors from the engine compartment of a boat ignition safety apparatus that provides a convenience timer that allows an operator to immediately start the engine after it has been stopped, without performing the initial cold-start up sequence.